Returns filed / completed during Self-Assessment system downtime

HMRC’s Self-Assessment online service was unavailable due to technical issues on Thursday 4 January and Saturday 6 January, leaving some taxpayers and agents unable to file returns on those days.

We understand that the systems are now operating normally. HMRC have provided the following information for those who attempted to fill in or file a return on 4 January:

“If you filed your return on 4 January 2018 and have not had confirmation of submission please don’t re-submit, as we’re currently still processing these returns.

If you filled in your return on 4 January 2018 and were asked to save and resubmit this later you can now do so. If when you retrieve your saved return you receive the message ‘temporarily unavailable’ please clear cookies and cache, click back to stage 4 ‘Fill in your return’ and follow the instructions to complete the return.”

The ATT is in contact with HMRC to discuss the nature of the issue which led to self-assessment services and also Corporation Tax and VAT online services being unavailable and seeking reassurance that this won’t happen again.

HMRC updates on self-assessment service availability and issues can be found here.